The Crime of the Decade
by trekyourself
Summary: With a serial killer terrorizing New York City and targeting well-educated women both SVU and the media is hurting for any piece of information. A rookie reporter is assigned to be a press liaison but she quickly realizes that this case is larger than anyone thought.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One: In Which Maggie Sees a Body

Maggie Reagan was new to this job so when she came face to face with her first dead body the bagel she ate the morning threatened to make a reappearance. She stood behind the police caution tape with her reporter pray pressed against her stomach feeling more nauseated by the sight. Her skin was a few shades paler and her hand was over her mouth.

"You brought a rookie to this?" One of the detectives asked one of the other reporters who was at the scene.

The veteran reporter, a stern man who loved cigars from Queens, named Mel glanced at Maggie before taking a drag on his cigar, "You going to be okay at this, NYU?"

Maggie nodded as she flipped her notebook open and began taking notes. The scene in front of her was a woman lying dead right outside her apartment with her dress torn from her body. Her lifeless eyes were staring up at the detectives and the medical examiners who were trying to cover her. There was dried blood under her stomach and a few streaks in her hair and on her face. She was maybe five or so years younger than Maggie herself.

"It's always the pretty ones," Mel muttered as he began scratching notes down onto his pad. He glanced at Maggie before tapping ash off the end of his cigar then asked, "Are you going to be okay NYU?"

"Yeah," she turned to one of the ME's who was trying to move the body of the dead woman onto a stretcher, "Sir, this is the fifth apparent rape and homicide of a young woman in this area. Does NYPD have anything to say about this?"

The ME glanced over in Maggie's direction and gave her a dirty look, "Can't you reports give us our space? We're trying to clean up a body here have some respect."

"Is that a direct quote or should I paraphrase it a bit?" Maggie asked in a sarcastic tone.

A year ago Maggie graduated NYU with her masters and jumped right into the world of New York City. She started off working at a small paper in Queens until one of her articles on a bank heist got attention from the Post. She started at the post three weeks ago. Maggie was supposed to be covering art and literature but a recent crime spree was rocking New York.

Now Maggie was face to face with her first dead body and struggling to keep her food down while having a battle of wits with the ME. The examiner gave her a dirty look before muttering, "We can't release a statement until the detectives from the Special Victim's Unit show up."

Maggie scrawled the name of the unit down on her pad before stepping away from the crime scene. She reached into the pocket of her jacket and pulled out a cell phone. Quickly she dialed a number then pressed her phone to her ear. The phone rang a few times before the voice answered, "Hello?"

"Hey Jamie," Maggie tried to seem as cheerful as possible. She hated to bother her brother at work but Jamie was a good cop and knew someone in every department in the NYPD.

"Hey Mags you know now's not a great time, right?" Jamie was always busy with something or another.

Maggie glanced over her shoulder at the crime scene behind her. More reporters were showing up and the police were trying to push them away from the scene, "There was another apparent rape-homicide in the East Village and the girl looks like the other ones. I think it's a serial but the ME or street cop's won't tell me anything. They told me that they couldn't say anything until SVU showed up. Any chance you have a friend there that can give me an edge in?"

Jamie let out a sigh and Maggie could picture him pinching the bridge of his nose like he always did when he was annoyed, "Yeah I know someone there. I'll give them a call then text you when I get an answer. But sit tight Mags; you know how hard street cops work and how much they hate to be prodded."

"Yeah I know," Maggie muttered, "I remember the horror stories dad used to tell me. I really appreciate this Jamie, my editor is breathing down my neck."

Jamie checked, "Anything to help my little sister. I gotta go I just got a dispatch notice so I'll let you know when and if I hear anything from my SVU contact."

"Thanks Jamie I'll see you on Sunday," Maggie ended the call and tucked her phone back into her coat pocket. She glanced over her shoulder at Mel as the veteran reporter finished off his cigar.

Mel was reaching into his pocket possibly for another cigar as Maggie walked back over towards the crime scene. She folded her arms over her chest and nodded towards the scene, "These guys won't give us anything so let's give them some space."

"And lose this lead? My editor would kill me," Mel muttered. He was an older man and still a reporter. The man either loved his job or didn't know how to climb ladders.

Maggie leaned closer and whispered, "I might have an in with the SVU heading our way. We just have to wait until my brother gives me the word. Wanna grab a coffee?"

Mel glanced over at the younger reporter and shrugged his shoulders, "Sure alright I know a good coffee place around the corner. It ain't Queens coffee but it's decent."

-0-

"So there I was my first ever crime scene with my first ex-wife in toe. We were on our anniversary date you see and as soon as I saw the body our dinner made another appearance all over her shoes," Mel slapped the table as he laughed and shook his head.

Maggie chuckled and shook her head then reached for her half finished mug of coffee, "Did that date ruin the marriage?"

Mel shook his head and stretched his arm over the back of the booth and shrugged, "No she cheated on me with one of the fellas she worked with. A real shuck but they made each other happy apparently," he took a long sip of coffee before placing the mug down on text table, "You ever been married before NYU?"

"God no," Maggie laughed and finished her cup of coffee, "I had a pretty serious boyfriend during my undergrad at Fordham but once I got accepted to NYU he got distant. He was pursuing a law degree and wanted to go to UCLA. I didn't want to follow since NYU was my dream school so I broke things off," she shrugged and leaned back folding her arms over her chest lazily, "In grad school I was too busy to date."

"Smart girl," Mel muttered as he motioned for the waitress to come and refill his coffee, "I've been married about four times and each time it's ended in divorce. You want my advice hun," as the waitress filled his mug he leaned forward and used his hands to talk, "Don't get married just enjoy your life and take as many lovers as you want."

She gave Mel a wink as the waitress finished filling up her mug. As the waitress walked way she glanced over at her cell phone. The screen of her phone lit up with a text from her brother, "Jamie just got back to me," she showed the phone to Mel, "One of his contacts in SVU just got in touch. I think we might have our lead, Mel."

Maggie reached into her pocket and pulled out the small wallet she always carried. She dug out a five dollar bill and placed it on the table before nodding for Mel to follow her, "Come on, we have our interview."

Mel threw his arms up, "You go ahead and have this one kid. I'm a few years away from retiring and you have your career ahead of you. Go make your career NYU."

"Are you sure?" This was going to end up being a big case and it wouldn't be fare to Mel if she took it alone.

"Yeah go right ahead besides the Post is a bit bigger than the Queens Gazette. But I expect to see a damn good article from you," Mel demanded with a pointed finger, "It best knock my socks off!"

-0-

Maggie arrived at SVU headquarters right around lunch time slightly caught off guard by the business clad officers. Jamie said the officer who would give her an interview was named Olivia Benson. Apparently Sargent Benson owed Jamie a favor for helping her with a tough case six months earlier so he was able to pull some strings.

"Margret Raegan it's a pleasure to finally meet you. I'm Sargent Benson," a tall dark haired woman with an olive complexion greeted Maggie in the bullpen. Olivia extended her hand and the two women shook.

"Please just call me Maggie," she insisted as she followed Olivia to her desk. The detective sat down at her desk and leaned back obviously more concerned with the work she had to do and not the reporter in front of her.

Maggie leaned against the desk and reached into the pocket of her jacket. She pulled out her small reporter note pad and a pen then asked, "Do you need to see my press pass?"

Olivia shook her head, "No for Jamie Reagan's sister I don't need to see a press pass."

"Perfect," she muttered as she flipped open the pad and clicked her pen, "So my first question is what is SVU doing about these rape homicides? This is the fifth one to happen in two months which means that this is a certified serial."

"Yes it's a certified serial but we don't want the public to be scared. The perpetrator is a certified serial but he has a very specific type. All of the girls that he has attacked have been tall blond women with green eyes. They are also typically well educated women, the first was from Columbia, then two from Barnard and the last two where from NYU," Olivia noticed that Maggie's eyebrows were narrowed and she seemed to be slightly distraught with the news.

As Maggie scrawled her notes down she glanced up at the detective and asked, "What is one of NYPD's most impressive police units doing about this?"

The question unsettled Olivia. From Maggie's slightly condescending tone and the slightly arched eyebrow, "We've alerted the schools and have increased NYPD presence on both campuses and routine patrols. The NYPD is also encouraging women not to travel alone for the next few days and to always make sure some one knows where they're going."

Maggie glanced up from her pad, "So more uniforms and the buddy system is the NYPD's response to all of this?"

Olivia's expression tightened to an annoyed look. She leaned back in her chair and folded her arms over her chest. There was no love loss between cops and journalists Maggie knew about that when she chose to deter the typical Reagan path. Olivia Benson was a great detective and in the words of her father "one of the best damn cops the NYPD has seen in twenty years." Maggie didn't want to offend anyone but she also wanted the truth.

"Unless we have a face or a name this is the best we can do," she titled her head to the side, "Do you have any better ideas?"

Maggie shook her head and gave Olivia a polite smile, "I'm not a decorated detective and the closest thing I have to knowledge in criminal justice is a family connection and degree in political science," she shut her reporter pad and tucked it back into the pocket of her jacket, "I'm just digging for information. I meant no disrespect."

Olivia felt bad for the rookie, "We're short staffed and stressed to find this guy."

"As anyone in your position would be," Maggie replied, "I want to make this article not only about the case itself but about the men and women who are struggling to fit everything together. I want people to understand the stress an NYPD detective is under. People should know not only the details of the case but the people working it."

That take was admirable. Olivia partially chalked it up to Maggie's ties to the NYPD and her want to make this a good story. Olivia was the head detective on this case and having a strong press coverage for this might end up allowing SVU to catch this guy quicker.

"How badly does the Post want this covered?" Olivia asked.

"Badly, my editor is giving me small intern assignments while I follow the case. They thought because I'm a Reagan I could get into the inner workings of NYPD," she shrugged, "it's worked so far."

Olivia nodded in agreement, "I could get you access to some of the people working on the team. I think having a heavy press coverage might be useful for now."

Maggie's eyebrows shot up in surprise, "So you want me to tag along with you and SVU to cover the story."

"If you think it would be beneficial to your story then yes you can come," Olivia offered, "We can issue you a press pass but you'd need to be cleared with the DA."

"Leave that to me," she gave Olivia a smile, "I'm meeting with DA Reagan this afternoon."

Olivia stood and extended her hand, "Let me know when you have the pass and we'll get started."


	2. Chapter 2

Two: In Which Maggie Meets Barba

Erin Reagan was sitting nervously at her desk waiting for her sister to arrive. Normally Maggie was never late to anything, she carried their father's strong sense of punctuality. Typically the two Reagan sisters grabbed lunch from a cafe down the street from Erin's office. This was a routine that they followed since Maggie was at Barnard and Erin was an started as an ADA. It was their excuse to block out the rest of the world and just have time to themselves.

The ADA was sitting at her desk when her door opened. Erin didn't bother to look up as she said, "Maggie thank god I thought something happened-"

"ADA Reagan," Rafael Barba stood in the door way with a brief in his hands. There were dark bags under his eyes and a small coffee stain on his shirt.

Erin sat up slightly, "Rafael I thought our meeting wasn't until after lunch?"

The pair worked down the hall from each other so these impromptu meetings weren't uncommon. Usually they worked late nights together and would go over case files but he normally didn't come in this early in the day. Erin motioned for Rafael to sit down across from her desk.

Rafael sat down then immediately noticed Erin's annoyed disposition and asked, "Is everything alright?"

"Of course," she muttered as she began organizing files that were lying on her desk, "I'm just waiting for my little sister to meet me for lunch so I don't know how much time I have."

"She's late?" Over the past few months of them working together Erin told Rafael a few things about her family. Usually they were good things sometimes she would vent when she was close to breaking. Erin was an extremely professional person.

Erin ignored the question and motioned for Rafael to hand her the brief, "What do you need my help with?"

Rafael handed her the file and noticed how she dodged his question. Rafael had no other siblings so he didn't know how sensitive a subject like a big family could be. He ran a hand over his face before saying, "I don't know how to argue this in court."

The case was a murder homicide where a father came home from work drunk and didn't like that his wife wasn't in bed waiting for him. The father then proceeded to attack his wife, rape her, and then strangle her to death on their bed. He then killed their infant son and two year old daughter.

Erin glanced over the brief then her eyes flicked up to the exhausted lawyer sitting across from her, "What are you having trouble with?"

Before Rafael could answer the door flung open followed by the sound of someone storming into the room. Rafael turned and saw a jean clad and blazer wearing younger Reagan. Her dark hair was tied into a bun at the top of her head and she her face was flushed probably from running up stairs.

"Oh I'm sorry," Maggie said as she came to a halt when she noticed that Erin wasn't alone, "Your secretary didn't tell me that you were busy."

Erin sighed and shook her head. Maggie was the only one of the Reagan's who didn't do politics or respected the game of it. Erin handed the brief back to Rafael and said, "Councilor this is my baby sister Margret Mary Reagan."

As Rafael stood Maggie extended her hand and gave him a warm smile, "Please call me Maggie."

The Councilor and the Journalist shook hands then dropped. Maggie stuck her hands in the back pockets of her jeans while Rafael glanced her up and down. He didn't know the last time he saw someone wearing jeans in 1 Hogan Place.

Erin could sense the awkwardness between the pair and stood clearing her throat, "Maggie just started working with the Post a few months ago."

"Impressive, is this your first job out of grad school?" Rafael turned to Maggie.

Maggie nodded, "I interned at a few places and online blogs but this is my first real job," she glanced at Erin and asked, "Do you want a moment?"

Rafael looked between the two Reagan's then said, "No, I was just leaving," he picked up the brief and said, "I'll talk to you later Erin," and with that he ducted out of the office.

"He seems a bit high strung," Maggie muttered as she folded her arms over her chest.

Over the course of Maggie's life she was surrounded by lawyers and cops. Their harsh demeanors and god complexes was something that she grew used to. Erin grabbed her wallet off of her desk and took her coat off of the coat rack beside the window, "Rafael is one of the best ADA's that I've seen here. They brought him up from Brooklyn and we're lucky to have him here."

"Seems like a real ray of sunshine," Maggie muttered as the pair walked out of Erin's office and towards the elevators.

"He doesn't have to be nice," Erin commented, "He just has to get things done."

-0-

The cafe that the sisters typically stopped at was busy at this time of day so they took a small bistro table outside. Maggie shrugged off her blazer and hung it on the back of the chair. She glanced around at the sharply dressed men and women passing by.

Erin glanced at her younger sister and saw the far off look in her face. Whenever Maggie was thinking she knitted her brows together and chewed on her bottom lip. She seemed stressed that much was for sure. Erin took a sip of her water before asking, "Are you alright?"

"I saw my first dead body today," Maggie turned back to her sister and put her hands on the table folded together, "She was a student at NYU, dark hair, blue eyes, and was dressed like she was just trying to go out and have fun."

When Maggie announced that she was going to continue her education at NYU for a masters in journalism Erin let out a 24 year sigh of relief. While their mother was dying Maggie was the one at home. She was the one who watched their mother die, took care of her every day, and sacrificed a lot of her life for her. Erin didn't want Maggie in a career where she had to sacrifice more of herself.

Erin sighed and sat back in her chair, "Why does is the Post interested in this story?"

"They're not interested in the story," though she loved her job at the post this was still a sore spot for her. She took a sip of water before continuing in a slightly bitter tone, "According to one of the girls I work with they're just testing me to see how much information I can dig up on account of the name."

"So why are you doing the story?" Erin asked as their waiter came over to their table. The sisters changed the subject and quickly ordered their usual lunches.

When the waiter left the table Erin casted a glance at her sister. It was the look that she always gave Maggie, the one that their mother used to give them when she expected an explanation. The gaze always made Maggie's skin crawl.

"I'm doing the story because I have to," she ran a hand through her hair, "My profession is dying and I need to prove myself as the one who can get things done."

"But at what expense?" Erin asked.

Maggie scowled then reached inside the inner pocket of her blazer. She pulled out the form Olivia gave her to be signed by an ADA which would give Maggie permission to follow SVU for the case. She slid the form across the table to Erin and gave her sister a pleading look.

"This story could make my career," her voice was full of pleading and desperation. The Post took a gamble by hiring Maggie as a reporter and she was desperate to prove to them that their gamble was worth it.

Erin knew that her sister was hard working and threw herself into whatever it was that she did. She took one look at the form and sighed before sliding it back to Maggie, "I can't sign it; it would look like a conflict of interest but if you come back to my office after lunch I'll point you to someone who could."

"Thank you so much," Maggie tucked the paper into the inner pocket of her blazer, "Would the person you're sending me to happen to be Rafael?"

Over the past few weeks Erin told Maggie a bit about Rafael. The 'ADA from Brooklyn with an Ego as large as the NYPD' or that's how she described Rafael Barba during one of the Reagan family dinners. He was a hot topic during the annual dinners with Danny and Erin arguing over their opinions of the ADA. Danny thought Rafael was too cocky for his own good and was being too brazen in the court room. Erin thought the man was like the second coming for the New York City ADA's. The two of them were a legal tag team that were setting out to take down the whole criminal system of New York City.

Erin nodded, "Rafael owes me a few favors so he'll sign this for you and if he gives you any problems then you just talk to me."

"So let's talk about something else," Maggie was desperate to change the subject, "How's Nicky?"

"A teenager," she shrugged her shoulders, "One minuet she's in a good mood and the next she's trying to shove me out of her whole life."

Maggie smirked and took another sip of water before saying, "She'll grow out of it eventually."

Erin ran a hand through her hair and let out a long sigh. Being a single mother wasn't easy even with the backing of her rather large family. On nights where she worked late either Jamie, their father, or Maggie would make sure Nicky got home on time and got her homework done. Erin could handle to responsibilities of being a mother and an ADA but she hated being the only one there to bear the load of responsibility. Jack got to be the fun parent while Erin did the messy day to day work.

"She hates Jack's new girlfriend but Jack thinks it's just me putting thoughts in her head," Erin tour off a piece of bread and took a bite.

"Let me guess," Maggie could picture the newest woman that Jack had his eyes on, "Is she a new intern for the firm?"

Erin rolled her eyes with a disgusted look, "I can only imagine but I have no idea who the girl is but Nicky said she chews gum loudly and is trying to bond with her."

The waiter came over to their table and placed their lunches down on the table. They thanked the waiter and Maggie picked up her fork, "At least this one is trying to get along with Nicky you couldn't say the others were like that. But I wouldn't put too much thought into this one I doubt it will last."

Jack was a narcissistic lawyer who still thought he was the best Erin was ever going to get. The last time Maggie and Jack were face to face was on a night Jack had too much to drink and started mouthing off to Erin. He called Erin ugly and when Maggie saw the broken hearted look in her eyes she punched Jack in the face and told him to get the hell out of her grandfather's house. It was a memory that was brought up many times during Reagan dinners.

"His relationships never do," Erin muttered. Maggie knew that her sister was still upset about the breakup but she always put on a brave face, "But enough about my failed relationships how are yours going?"

The sisters always teased each other about their lack of love lives. Like every other Reagan, Erin and Maggie were workaholics who only left time for sleeping and family.

"Ha," she laughed as she ate a bike of her lunch, "I haven't even unpacked my apartment I don't have time to date around."

When it came to dating Erin knew her sister was a stranger to it. Maggie had a short term boyfriend when she was at Barnard but Erin only met the guy once. He was a cocky under grad at Manhattan College who Maggie saw for few months before cutting it off. Erin hated him and was glad that things never got too serious.

Erin shook her head, "You might regret not dating anyone," she shrugged her shoulders as she took a bite of her grilled cheese, "Trust me."

Maggie held her hands up, "I didn't realize that you were also a love doctor but alright maybe I'll try to date more."

"I know when you're lying Maggie," Erin pointed her sandwich at her sister, "but alright I won't push it."

"Thank you," Maggie sighed as she shoved another fork full of lettuce into her mouth.

-0-

The sisters finished their lunch then walked back to 1 Hogan Place chatting about their jobs and their day to day. It was a nice stress relief these lunches and allowed the sisters just to put aside their high stress jobs. Maggie talked about her new desk and the chatty intern she shared the small space with. Erin vented about stressful cases and watched Maggie's face turn pale at the thought of blood.

Once they got back to Hogan Place Erin insisted that they use the stairs up to the fourth floor. Maggie pretended to complain and huff as if she was out of breath but Erin just told her to shut up and that Erin knew that Maggie ran four times a week.

"That's Rafael's office," Erin nodded to the closed door with the pretty woman sitting at a desk outside the office. Erin wrapped her arm around her sister and smiled, "Carmen this is my baby sister Maggie."

Carmen looked up and gave the Reagan sister a warm smile, "Nice to meet you. what can I do for you Councilor Reagan?"

"Is Rafael busy?" Erin asked as she tried to look through the small glass window.

Carmen shook her head, "No he doesn't have an appointment until two so you can go on in."

Erin nodded for Maggie to go in, "I need to prep some files. Just tell Rafael that this is me getting back to him for pulling those files he needed last month."

Maggie gave her sister a sarcastic look, "Thanks sis," and went into the room.

A the sound of the door opening Rafael looked up from his desk and saw the youngest Reagan standing by his door. He sat up and fixed his tie before asking, "Miss Reagan what can I do for yo?"

Maggie approached his desk and nervously took out the form from her jacket, "Please just call me Maggie," she placed the form on the desk then crossed her arms over her chest, "SVU wants me to work with them on this serial killer rapist case. Detective Benson believes that a lot of press coverage will kelp people identify this guy. Erin couldn't sign it because it would be considered conflict of interest so she said that this would be paying her back for the favor she did last month."

Like every other Reagan, Rafael noticed that Maggie was straight to the point. He wasn't sure what was more surprising the fact that she was asking something so brazen of him or the fact that someone in Hogan Place was wearing jeans.

Rafael picked up the folded piece of paper and his eyes scanned the document before narrowing his eyebrows, "So the Post is seeing how high you jump when they ask," he reached for a pen but didn't sign it.

"If I sign this," Rafael tapped the form with his pen, "Your safety will be on the shoulders of NYPD SVU who is already understaffed and pulled thin."

Maggie tilted her head to the side and narrowed her brown eyes, "Councilor Barba if you're worried that I'm going to be dead weight on the unit you shouldn't be," she was starting to not like the lawyer. But that was normal, Maggie rarely liked lawyers.

"Ah yes I forgot you're a Reagan so that makes you impervious to being a hazard to the men and women your father directs. Tell me Miss Reagan are you using this case to actually advise and aid SVU or just to climb your corporate ladder?" He was challenging her and they both knew that.

In a bode of confidence Maggie leaned forward and put her hands on his desk and locked eyes with the lawyer. A cocky smirk appeared on her face as her voice turned to a cocky tone, "Tell me Mr. Barba," she saw how a twitch in his eye and he seemed uncomfortable, "Do you not like me simply because of my name or because of my profession?"

Rafael put the pen down and looked at her with the same annoying confidence that she was giving him, "I've never been a fan of reporters; you all seem too egotistic for your own good."

Maggie tapped the form and titled her head to the side, "Then why don't you sign the paper and I'll be out of your office and out of your hair," she rose back to her full heigh and pulled one last card, "Besides if you don't sign it all I have to do is say my name and any other ADA in this office will be jumping up and down to earn a brownie point with the commissioners baby girl."

She had him right where she wanted him. Rafael picked up the pen and scaled his name fully authorizing Maggie's appearance with SVU for the duration of the investigation. As he held out the form maggie snatched it from him and said in a cocky voice, "Thank you for your time Councilor," and a moment later she was gone.


End file.
